The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said it is ‘deeply sorry’ after it emerged body parts and tissue from 30 soldiers killed in Afghanistan had been kept without their families’ permission.

The Ministry of Defence said families were being notified (Picture: PA)

Six body parts and 50 tissue samples were retained by the Royal Military police (RMP) without relatives of the servicemen being informed.

The issue only came to light last month when a new manager was appointed to head the special investigations branch (SIB) of the RMP.

The MoD said officials were now working to identify and inform affected families.

‘We owe a huge apology to the families involved and those who will now be feeling stressful even if it doesn’t affect them,’ Major General James Everard told BBC News.

Maj Gen Everard said he ‘hoped’ no further samples would be discovered.

Body parts were found at John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, while tissue samples were discovered on laboratory slides for matching or identifying dead soldiers at SIB’s headquarters at Bulford Garrison in Wiltshire.

‘There are occasions when it is necessary for the RMP special investigations branch to retain slides of forensic material from individuals killed on operations as part of their investigation – this is standard practice,’ the MoD said.

‘However, the RMP identified there were a small number of cases where this had been done without the correct processes being followed to inform families.

‘It is thought there could be 60 forensic items, such as microscope slides, containing material from some individuals.’

The MoD added: ‘Investigations are being carried out urgently into this matter. The RMP special investigations branch has also taken swift action to ensure this cannot happen again and are identifying the families affected as quickly as possible.’

The oversight in not gaining consent was blamed on a change in the way SIB liaised with families, the procedures of which have now been amended.